More than 80% of sewage in developing countries goes un-treated. Furthermore, millions of businesses contribute to water pollution in both urban and industrial centres. Water contamination is recognised as a global problem; fresh water resources can be jeopardised—and may already be limited—and there are environmental concerns too such as degradation of coastal waters and estuaries.
The challenge of treating wastewaters with new treatment plants is substantial and is well known in the field. The known challenges include: installing pipe works and sewage systems to convey contaminated water to treatment plants, the high cost of land for treatment plants near urban and industrial centres, and the cost of building the large containment vessels or controllable reactor volumes to house the treatment process. These costs are often significantly higher than the actual cost of treatment equipment systems.
It is therefore an object of embodiments of the present invention to obviate or mitigate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art.